middaeg | [Open] Canon Update & Catch-all!

Who: Elliot & OPEN!
When: January 4th
Where: Mirror house & around Aefenglom
What: Canon update/Catch-All!
Warnings: Major spoilers for Trails of Cold Steel 3 afoot! Also CW mentions of death.

I. Mirror House
[Elliot didn't visit the mirror house very often. Aside from the times of new arrivals or checking to see if someone's left, there wasn't much reason to be there. But today, he felt compelled to go, by reasons he couldn't explain. Without really thinking about it, he wound up in front of mirror that was decorated in assorted carvings of music related items and his beloved friends. And still without thinking, he reached out to touch the reflective pristine glass.

And all of a sudden, came a whirlwind of memories playing on the glass. They start off nice: leaving home to go on tour, releasing his first record, concerts, seeing Rean again, getting the group chat going. But just as pleasant as the memories start, they quickly go darker: the truth of Hamel, the dark dragon, Azure Siegfried, the Curse, Angelica, the Gral of Erebos, the Courageous exploding, Millium-

Elliot, who was completely transfixed on the memories, collapses as soon as the glass goes back to normal. Once more, he's aware that he's back in Aefenglom. Not in the hellish Gral, watching friends die and knowing what was now spreading across Erebonia. They were all in danger, except now he was-]

N-No..! Not now, I can't...why?

[Whatever he means is lost, because he's completely overcome with sobbing. He'll probably be like this a good long while. Anyone bonded with him will feel waves of grief and fear coming from him.]

II. Aefenglom
[Eventually, Elliot's able to collect himself enough to pull himself off the floor and leave the mirrorhouse. From there...well, he doesn't know where to go. He doesn't want to go back to his house, how do you go home to your friends who are none-the-wiser and tell them such horrible news? He really didn't feel up to that just yet. Nor did he feel like continuing on his daily schedule, there was no way he could focus on music or anything else.

So eventually, he decides to just...wander. He starts walking, not even really thinking about the direction or where he'll go. If you pass by him, it's clear he's barely paying attention to his surroundings as he slowly walks. It doesn't even seem to register to him that it's freezing out. Or maybe you'll catch him standing still, near the river or the ocean, simply staring - completely lost in thought, sometimes quietly talking to himself ]

...What am I supposed to do now...?

[No matter how many times he asks himself that, he can't seem to find the answer]

[OOC: Elliot's been canon updated to the end of CS3! Clearly, it had a happy ending. ]

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Just... if you don't feel like you're ready when tomorrow comes, let me know. Nothing good will come from trying to tackle this is we aren't ready ourselves.

[She reaches down and squeezes his hands in her own.]

But no matter what, I'll be right there beside you, okay?

I appreciate that...but sometimes I do best when I'm given a little pressure. So, I'm doing it tomorrow. If I don't stick to that, I'll just put it off forever.

[He knows himself okay. But aw Towa, he gives a soft look]

Thanks...And I'm here for you too, okay? Remember to take care of yourself too.

[Cause he knows SOMEBODY sometimes forgets to do that]

If that's what you need then. I understand.

[Towa gets it. Pushing herself is a big part of the way that she manages to keep it together as much as she does-- even if it's not an impressive amount. But that's why she's not surprised that he worries about her too. It's very much like her to try and do things on her own.

Unfortunately, this time, she knows doing that would only hurt her worse.]

I know... this... isn't something I can handle on my own.

[Rather, it's made the idea of being alone all that more frightening.]

The truth is... I need you guys now more than ever. I have to admit it. Otherwise, I'll... just be a mess.

[...Right. He can imagine how much Towa didn't want to be alone right now. She just lost Angelica and George, in different ways. Two people she was closest to, ripped away from her oh so painfully.

No one would want to be alone after that. You need people to cling to. Even if Elliot wasn't sure how social he felt right now. ]

....Did you want to come with me?

I wasn't planning to go back to the house tonight.

[Everyone had their own way of coping with loss. As much as she didn't want to be alone, she understood that she would be imposing upon Elliot. He knew that too though when he made the offer. So it takes her a moment to think through it.]

...I want to come with you. I don't care where we go.

[She won't ask for much. She doesn't need much. She just wants to cling to one of the people that she loves for a little bit.]

As long as it's okay for me to be there... that's all I need.

[He gives a nod.]

It's fine with me.

[That said, he reaches up to scratch his cheek a little]

Though I haven't exactly figured out...where I'll be going yet.

[He's kinda winging all of this, ok]

I would say that the Guild would be an option, but-- I told Crow he could stay there for a while. I could tell he needed some time too.

[With the most obvious choice out of the question--]

So I guess I don't really have a plan either.

[There are no shortage of things she's struggling with. Doing something entirely spontaneous isn't like her. So what comes out of her mouth is probably going to be a shock, and she knows it. Heck, even she doesn't know where it comes from.]

...what if we did something really crazy? Went to the most expensive place... ordered room service... used the spa...

Just... all the things we wouldn't normally do for ourselves... just do it.

[Can you even imagine it? She really can't but-- hey.]

Oh....yeah. He must have a lot to think about, considering everything.

[And well, Crow wasn't good at handling emotions in front of other people, so it made sense that he went somewhere by himself for awhile.

Which left them. Elliot was mulling over ideas, maybe staying in the room he uses for music lessons, or even breaking into an abandon house a friend used to have. But then she speaks up...

And yeah. It's surprising. Towa never indulges like that]

W-Wait, really?

You want to do that?

[He sounds more surprised than anything]

[If it were just her, by herself, she'd never dare. But right now-- as crazy as it sounds, it sounds perfect.]

I know. It sounds pretty weird coming from me. But... tomorrow's going to be hard on both of us.

[Elliot especially. Which is all the more reason she wants to do it.]

So... I want tonight to be as perfect as it can possibly be. Whatever we want... Anything we want. No worrying about costs or anything.

[Elliot goes quiet as he thinks it over. It is pretty uncharacteristic of Towa. She's very pragmatic, and not one to spoil herself. But then again...maybe that was the point. To do something out of their regular behaviors to contrast what they just experienced]

...Let's do it.

[He nods, agreeing to this plan]

If we pawn off a quartz, we should be able to afford it.

[Containers for spells they might be, it's not like they couldn't live without one of them.]

[It wasn't a bad idea at all, using one of their quartz. It wasn't like they wouldn't have the opportunity to replace it once they got home anyway.]

Just to be safe-- one each. That way it's fair.

[She turns over one of her quartz to him. It was a treat for both of them-- it was only fair if they both went in for it together.]

If we have anything left over, we can just bring home something nice for the others.

[And this way there's no way they should have to worry about money even a little.]

Oh.... [He'll take the quartz that's offered to him, fingers curled around it as he looks at it] Y-Yeah, that'll be enough for sure.

[He nods along with her plan]

Right, sounds good. I know a good pawn shop, now it's just a matter of finding a nice hotel.

[Oh good. She wasn't sure about the first, so she's glad he has that part taken care of.]

I know a little bit about the hotels in the entertainment district. If we're talking top of the line, I know the one.

[There's a good selection, but tonight they're going all in, so the choice isn't that hard.]

Ah, really? I'll leave that part to you then.

[He gives her a little smile and nods, pulling himself away from the ledge.]

Well, now that we have a plan...we should probably get going. We'll catch colds if we stay out here too long.

Yeah, that's the last thing either of us needs right now.

[It's an odd choice but-- she does feel like it's put a little spring back in her step. They have a plan, something to look forward to. The rest can wait, tonight is about self care.

She gives him her good hand, lacing their fingers together.]

Onward, then!

[Having a direction to go always helps a little. Is it enough to clear the fog of guilt in his head? Of course not, but it was like seeing a lighthouse among it- a direction to go. It helps a little.

He takes her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze]

Yeah, let's go!

[Off they go, towards the entertainment district]

[Open] Canon Update & Catch-all!

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